It is recently possible to connect a WWW (World Wide Web) server that stores various kinds of information and a computer with dedicated software (to be referred to as a “browser” hereinafter) to access the server by HTTP (Hyper Text Transfer Protocol) through a network and allow the computer to refer to the information on the WWW server. The browser can receive the information on the WWW server and store it in the computer. When a user wants to print the data, the data temporarily stored in the computer can be output to a printer with a print function and printed. Various kinds of data on the WWW server can be printed in this way.
However, in printing data acquired from the WWW server, the conventional printer always executes predetermined image processing independently of the presence/absence of image management. Hence, a printer which prints important data in cooperation with an authentication function of checking whether the user is authentic becomes more important.
There is provided, e.g., a printer system capable of managing disclosure of documents stored in a document server for each document component for users with different access rights from the viewpoint of security in information management. For example, a BOX function is used to ensure the security of print Jobs. This function makes sent image data open to only a specific user by using ID authentication based on, e.g. a password in an image output device. Information output as an image can be prevented from leaking to unspecified users.
Examples of the above-described prior art are disclosed in, e.g., Japanese Patent Laid-Open Nos. 10-83263 and 2003-94777.
However, a password generally used in information management is defined by a predetermined combination of complex key operations or ID input. Alternatively, a user is authenticated by using a specific authentication card. Hence, the key operation method may leak, or the authentication card or ID may be stolen. Anyone who has acquired password information can access information even when the box function is used.
In the BOX function of a conventional network printer, the image output destination can freely be selected in issuing a job independently of the security level. Even when a wrong output destination is selected, data is sent to the image forming apparatus. For this reason, if password information leaks, the security of the job is not ensured. In addition, a function of reading encrypted image data and decoding and printing it in accordance with a result of personal authentication or system authentication determination is not available. For this reason, if security settings incompatible with the security management function are incorporated in image data, illegal copying cannot be prevented.
On the other hand, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 8-16520 discloses the following contents. An information processing apparatus inquires of an output device about the presence/absence of an authentication function. The output device notifies the information processing apparatus side of the presence/absence of the authentication function. In accordance with the result, the user on the information processing apparatus side can select use of the authentication function. To use the authentication function on the output device side, the information processing apparatus side transmits a password and image data to the output device, and the output device stores them. The user of the information processing apparatus inputs a password to the output device. If the password matches that stored in the output device, the image data is output.
As described above, in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 8-16520, the information processing apparatus only inquires of the output device about the presence/absence of the authentication function and uses the function if it is present. If the authentication scheme of the information processing apparatus is different from that of the output device, personal authentication is impossible on the output device side. Hence, even when the image data is transmitted, it is not output, resulting in poor usability and failures in ensuring job security. That is, the technique of Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 8-16520 does not execute information management of the security level of the authentication scheme input on the information processing apparatus side and the authentication scheme input on the output device side.